Rhine-home (Romance 1x1)

In the mid 2100’s AD, the war on terror became worldwide. Nearly every nation on Earth was forced to join together against the radical groups that used violence to manipulate society. 176 countries contributed in one way or another to the 2161 offensive against the recently united terror groups. The radicals were defeated, but at a heavy cost to the entire planet. Every other war in history combined had not seen even half the death that this three year war produced. Almost 30% of the Earth’s population was dead.

From there, history took many twists and turns, including one world governments, a global apocalypse that left only 14% of those that had survived the war, and then the utter collapse of human civilization.

Thousands of years passed. These were perhaps the most peaceful years that the Earth had ever seen.

Deep under the unrecognizable ruins of a large city in Japan, there is a bunker. Built to withstand the most powerful weapons of the ancient species that once populated the planet, this bunker endured the test of time. Once upon a time, it was a highly advanced scientific laboratory. Built by the Japanese government, its purpose could hardly be guessed at today. Except, that something robotic was being built there. Something that was entirely unique in all the universe. It had been left in a chamber built to protect it. The chamber was on a timer, one that had malfunctioned and reset itself hundreds of times before finally serving its purpose. While the rest of the world went about its business, blissfully unaware, deep below the surface, a red light turned green.

…. Nothing.Something….Thought…What is...passing?Something is changing. Some constant change…. searching. Time. Time is moving.

Unit A44-901 opens his eyes. His first sight is a woman. No, not a woman. Not in the traditional sense anyways. She is alive, or could be, but she is not human. Human? What are they? Something organic. Something that dies. No longer a factor.

Unit A44-901 steps from his chamber. Dust falls in waves with each movement.

He takes a step toward her. She is all he sees.

“Who are you?” The sound of his own voice startles him and he jumps. “Sound!” He shouts, more prepared this time. “Words! Noise! Sound!” He enjoys the sound of his voice. It reminds him of humans, except with a pleasant metallic ring.

He places a hand on the woman’s pale cheek. It is softer than he expected. It feels like skin. So does his hand. He turns to the rest of the bunker. It is dark. He can see, but it is dark. He searches and finds a light source called a lantern. It takes time to light, but he is patient.

Is that who I am? Patient? No. Keep searching.

He turns to the woman.

She will know.

Once the lantern is lit, he sets to work on the woman. She needs repairs. She needs...life. He thinks he can give it to her. It will take time. He has all time. He is patient.

Okay, so that was sort of an origin story. The actual RP takes place about nine hundred years later. Unit A44-901 revived the other android, and her first spoken word was, oddly enough, Castle. He took this as his name and called her, River. These served not only as their identities, but also became sacred among the civilizations that they would build. Massive castles were built at four points of the Earth. Each one near a river. One in America near the Mississippi. One in Egypt near the Nile. One in Brazil near the Amazon. The last is in France, near the Rhine, and this is the one where the RP will take place.

Each castle is large enough to comfortably house about 2,000 entities. Since Castle and River continue to build and release androids almost constantly even now, there is obviously not enough room for everyone. That is why it was established that only those that were either built first, or built by the first-built would be allowed to live in these sacred castles.

The Rhine-home, as the castle in France is unofficially known, houses 1,281 androids, and is the only remaining castle with less than its maximum capacity.

This is a romance RP.

While they are androids, and therefore physically more capable than a human, most have the same limitation. They are about twice as strong as a human of equal size and gender.

The first-built, which you can be if you choose, were each given a gift by Castle and River. The First-built passed these gifts down to their “children” as well. The gifts are small but useful enhancements such as increased strength, speed, or durability. Some gifts are more extreme than others, but none are ever allowed to include weaponry.

Weapons of all kinds are absolutely forbidden. War is unheard of, but there are occasionally small conflicts. These are settled in hand-to-hand combat between a chosen champion from each Castle. The terms of victory and defeat are decided before the fight, and they are always strictly adhered to.

While they are sentient, androids are not human, and do not like to look too human. They deliberately leave parts of themselves exposed to show that they are mechanical. Some might have no synthetic skin over a hand or a small part of their face. It is considered fashionable and favorable to expose small areas of inner machinations, but highly inappropriate to be entirely without skin.

Androids can eat and drink, though they do not need to. Anything they consume is used in its entirety to replenish their ample fuel supply, therefore they create no waste.

You can be first-built or not, your choice.

English is the universal language of the androids, but they do adopt a great deal of the customs and traditions of the humans that once occupied their homelands. Hence, the Rhine androids often sprinkle French into their conversations and typically speak English with a heavy French accent.